WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered a comprehensive review into the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it one of the most catastrophic events in recent military history and vowing full accountability to the American people and service members.
In a memorandum dated May 20, 2025, addressed to senior Pentagon leadership and combatant commanders, Hegseth said the chaotic withdrawal — including the August 26 Kabul airport bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians — demands transparency and truth.
“The Department of Defense has an obligation to get to the facts,” Hegseth wrote. “This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform.”
The memo directs the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor Sean Farrell to convene a Special Review Panel (SRP) that will re-examine previous findings and assess decision-making around the withdrawal. The review will include analysis of intelligence, sources, timelines, and leadership actions leading up to the evacuation.
Hegseth, a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the exit, said the review is intended to “ensure that accountability for this event is met and that the complete picture is provided to the American people.”
He emphasized that this effort is not only about national security but also about honoring the sacrifice of U.S. troops who served in Afghanistan over two decades.
“The American people and the warfighters of our great Nation deserve no less,” he said.
